This Steamery review contains affiliate links.
Now I’ll admit, I not only despise ironing – I refuse to do it.
At home, this is something I can get away with. My more delicate, wrinkle-prone clothes can be abandoned at the bottom of my clean clothes pile, overlooked for easy-dry cotton.
As long as you’re willing to overlook the state of my fresh bedding, I can almost pretend that I’m a laundry aficionado. Nobody need know that at the bottom of my laundry pile is a silk-blend dressed I washed nearly 2 years ago.
However, it’s when it comes to going away that my ironing aversion becomes a problem.
It’s safe to say that when I throw my clothes into my suitcase, they aren’t in the best shape. By the time I get to my destination, they are even worse: like a crumpled year-old tissue.
After years of trying all the hacks when it comes to de-creasing my clothes abroad – from showering with my clothes hanging nearby, to rolling rather than folding – I’ve recently had to admit defeat.
I either need to reacquaint myself with an iron, or I need to find a good alternative.
Thankfully, this alternative almost fell into my lap, thanks to a Facebook advert for the sleek looking Steamery handheld travel steamer.
Shaking up the steamer market, Steamery – a Scandinavian clothing care brand – have launched a stylish range of garment care accessories, including fabric shavers, clothing brushes and their most iconic product – handheld clothes steamers.
Immediately captivated by this sleek looking device, I couldn’t stop thinking about the advert I’d seen for the Steamery Cirrus 2. Call me boring, but I was genuinely excited by its existence.
Just after Christmas, I therefore decided to bite the bullet and buy what is said to be the best handheld steamer on the market.
Below is my Steamery review – spoiler alert, it’s a glowing one.
- Portable travel steamer with a stainless-steel mouthpiece and a heat protection bag
- Cirrus 2 makes your garments and textiles smooth and wrinkle-free in no time
- Effective on all fabrics except leather and suede, but be gentle when steaming silk
- Steaming is a gentle and energy-efficient alternative to ironing and washing
- 90 ml water tank, 1.9 m cord, 750–780 g, 1500W, UK plug, 220–240V
Who Are Steamery?
Dedicated to sustainability, Steamery are an ethical company based in Stockholm, Sweden.
Dedicated to combating fast fashion and encouraging people to look after their clothes (rather than just buying new items), Steamery are textile care experts.
Started in 2014 by a trio of sustainability champions – Frej, Petra and Martin – this sleek company has since taken the textile world by storm, particularly thanks to its innovative, lightweight travel steamers.
- STAINLESS STEEL STEAMER PANEL: Crafted with precision, the stainless steel steamer panel delivers even heat distribution, ensuring efficient and effective steaming across a variety of fabrics
- 18 GRAMS PER MINUTE STEAM RATE: With an impressive 18 grams per minute steam rate, wrinkles don't stand a chance, Your clothes will be wrinkle-free and looking sharp in no time
- REMOVABLE BRUSH: The Swan Garment Steamer features a removable brush attachment, making it even more versatile, It gently smooths out fabric fibres while you steam, ensuring your clothes look flawless
- 120ML WATER TANK CAPACITY: With its 120ml water tank capacity, this steamer offers ample steam to cater to your daily needs, Simply fill it up, and you're good to go, ready to tackle wrinkles with ease
- FOLDABLE HANDLE FOR EASY STORAGE: Designed with convenience in mind, our garment steamer comes equipped with a foldable handle, allowing you to save space and store it neatly in your closet or travel bag, No more bulky, hard-to-store steamers taking up precious space
- No Ironing Board Required - Steam freshens clothes that are hard to clean while they’re hanging up and can eliminate wrinkles in bedding while beds are fully made up
- Kills up to 99.9% of Bacteria in 60 Seconds* - Keep your clothes clean and kill bacteria. *tested on 2 types of bacteria on 3 surfaces. Microchem laboratory; Oct 2020
- 20 Gram Steam Output - A 20g steam output gives you plenty of steam power to eliminate creases and leave clothes feeling fresh – especially handy for hard to wash garments and fabrics
- 45-Second Heat-Up Time - Heats up in 45 seconds so you’re less than a minute away from fresher, crease-free clothes – ideal when you travel or if you’re in a rush
- 2 Year Manufacturer's Guarantee - Plus 1 extra year when you register the product online within 28 days
- Instantly freshen your clothes: Powerful 1200W steamer with large 260ml Water tank steams Continuously for 15 minutes and preheats in only 35 seconds or less
- Anti-leakage: Can be used both vertically and horizontally with no leaking; Convenient for clothes, table clothes, sofas, and so much more
- Automatic shut-off: Never burn or blister your hands with low-water and 8-minute inactivity automatic shut-off, and electric leakage and over-heating protection
- Continuous steam function: Use the lock button for continuous steam with no need to keep the trigger pushed down; Super convenient for steaming large items
- Thermostatic Ceramic Plate: Super smooth bottom to glide over all kinds of fabric, the plate delivers even heat distribution for better ironing
Designed to both press and clean your clothes (the steam helps to kill bacteria, whilst reducing stains), these lightweight steamers are not like those you see in fashion stores. Indeed, instead of being large and clunky, they are easy to hold with just one hand and plug directly into the mains -with a small compartment for water tucked into the steamer itself.
Reviewed and raved about by the likes of the NY Post and GQ Magazine, these clever little gadgets have quickly became the clothing world’s must-have item.
Why I Chose the Steamery Cirrus 2
After deciding I was going to buy a Steamery steamer, I then had to decide which model I was going to get.
Now, first thing’s first – Steamery are not cheap. Claiming to be the best handheld steamers on the market, these chic looking products come with quite the price tag.
Their original model, the Steamery Cirrus 1 Handheld Steamer (the OG) is currently £60 (reduced since later models have been released). The Steamery Cirrus 2 Handheld Steamer is £120, whilst the latest kid-on-the-block, the hybrid Steamery Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer, is now £150.
When it comes to buying these products, you might wonder how they differ.
Firstly: what’s the difference between the Steamery Cirrus 1 and the Cirrus 2? Indeed, given that the original model is a fair amount cheaper, it could be tempting to go for the original design.
In short, these two steamers are pretty similar, aside from the fact that the Cirrus 2 benefits from a few adaptations.
Firstly, and not particularly glamorously, the Cirrus 2 has a coating on the inside of the machine that helps to prevent limescale from forming – meaning you don’t need to descale it as much (less so than the Cirrus 1). Additionally, the Cirrus 2 also has a stainless steel ‘mouthpiece’, which makes for a more effective ‘steaming’ experience.
With that clarified, I then moved on to figuring out what the difference was between the Cirrus 2 and the Steamery Cirrus 3 Iron Steamer.
The answer to this question is a little more obvious.
With their latest model, Steamery have really pushed the boat out – developing a gadget that blends the best of an iron, with all the functions of a handheld steamer. Featuring an ironing plate that can reach the same temperatures as a traditional iron, alongside still preserving a steaming option, the Cirrus 3 gives you the choice to either go for a more ‘pressed’ look, or a natural steamed result.
Ultimately, I didn’t feel like I needed all the bells and whistles offered by the Cirrus 3 and I also knew I’d be too lazy to regularly descale the Steamery Cirrus 1. Naturally, the Cirrus 2 therefore seemed the best option (it also happened to be just £80 on Amazon at the time, which definitely swayed my decision).
Review of Steamery Cirrus 2
Look & Feel
Before I start this Steamery review (i.e., how well the Cirrus 2 actually works), let me begin by quickly commenting on its look and design.
Let’s face it, the textile care market – irons and steamers galore – is hardly a glamorous one. When it comes to buying an iron, or something to press our clothes with, we’re hardly basing our search on how stylish the product is. We just need the gadget to do its job, before it’s quickly stuffed away in a cupboard.
Steamery, however, are changing all this. I never thought I’d comment on the attractiveness of a travel steamer, or even a fabric shaver, but here I am – waxing lyrical about how pretty Steamery’s products are.
Beautiful packaged, even the Steamery steamer box looks high end – a sleek and black affair, filled with tissue paper. It’s all very minimalist – very Scandi.
The Cirrus 2 itself is an expertly crafted piece of kit. I went for the black model, although it does come in a palette of other muted colours including a dusky blue, powdery pink and grey.
However, and slightly matted, I think the black colour gives this handheld steamer an extra air of luxury.
Taking the Cirrus 2 out of its box and I was surprised by just how lightweight it felt. Although I knew these gadgets could be used for travel (and so I guessed they weren’t going to be incredibly heavy) I hadn’t expected them to be this agile.
Able to hold it easily in just one hand, it was immediately obvious just how easy the Cirrus 2 handheld steamer was going to be to use.
How Effective is the Steamery Cirrus 2?
So, the most important part of this Steamery review: just how well does this (apparently) best handheld steam operate?
To really put the Cirrus 2 to the test, I decided to try it on a few different garments – all of which were ridiculously crumpled and dug out from the bottom of a pile of clothes.
To steam your products, you’ll (in the main) need them hanging up. So that I could steam easily (and feel a bit of a professional), I bought a mobile rail, which I could quickly wheel out when my steaming duties began. However, you could also easily hang your clothes from a door, or wardrobe handles.
To really get a good view of those wrinkles and creases, Steamery suggest you turn your clothes inside out when steaming, for ease. If you’re steaming pants or jeans, you can also lie a towel on a flat surface and stream them this way.
The Cotton T-Shirt
I began my steaming debut with a cotton T-shirt. To get the Cirrus 2 ready, all you need to do is plug it in at the mains and hold the button down until it turns green (you’ll need to keep this held down while you’re actively streaming).
With your spare hand, hold the bottom of your garment – just to keep it straight and in place.
Throwing out little sighs of warm steam, my cotton T-shirt was honestly transformed in less than a minute. As the Steamery Cirrus 2 is so lightweight, I could glide effortlessly up and down the T-shirt and reach all the smaller, most wrinkled parts easily (you can move the steamer whichever way you wish).
Afterwards, the T-shirt looked completely revived and much fuller than when ironed.
It did take me a little while to get the hang of not letting the T-shirt spin around while I was steaming it, but that didn’t take long.
The Silk-Blend Dress
After the T-shirt, I decided to go for the slightly more tricky silk-blend dress. Now, Steamery do note that you should steam silk products with care, so I was a little nervous about this one.
As such, I was more gentle than I’d been with the T-shirt and tried to steam the bare minimum. Thankfully, it wasn’t the ordeal I’d imagined – far from it. As the Steamery Cirrus 2 is so effective, all wrinkles fell out of the dress almost immediately, so I didn’t have to subject it to the steamer for long at all.
Afterwards, it looked immaculate – truly.
A Pair of Jeans
Lastly, I decided to trial my Steamery handheld steamer on a thick pair of jeans.
I was interested to see how steaming these would go, as usually my Levi Jeans need a good press from an iron to get them looking respectable. This was probably the hardest job of them all – and I had to be a bit more persistent, especially when steaming the pocket and zip area.
On reflection, I think it would have been easier if I had lay them flat (rooky error), but the legs themselves did steam beautifully and very quickly.
Do I Need a Heat-Resistant Glove for Steaming?
As I mentioned above, it did take me a little while to get the hang of learning where to put my spare hand when steaming (so that it didn’t get caught directly in a plume of smoke, or have the steamer press directly onto it). While this wasn’t a huge problem for me – and you can easily work around it – Steamery do offer a Heat Protection Glove you can wear whilst using their product.
They suggest this would be good to wear when you’re streaming those more fiddly areas I mentioned above – cuffs, pockets and collars. By wearing it, you could then put your hand beneath the fabric and stream away to your heart’s content, without worrying about scalding your hand.
However, Steamery also demonstrate how you can just use the heat resistant bag that comes with your Steamer to do this. I think you therefore might as well save yourself some pennies and just use the bag, rather than pay for yet another accessory (especially when it works just as effectively).
How is Steaming Different to Ironing?
I’ll be honest, I hadn’t really given this question much thought – until I got a steamer, that is.
Then, and only then, did I realise how superior a Steamery steamer is to an iron (and why they are so regularly used in fashion stores).
Firstly, a steamer does far more than just press your clothes – it helps to bring them back to life, to preserve their shape, to remove stains and odours, and ultimately provide a fresher, more natural look.
As Steamery explain, hot steam lifts the textile fibres; making them swell and regain their natural shape. As using a handheld steamer is similar to airing clothes, you can therefore expect to find your clothes feeling fuller, fresher and ultimately longer-lasting than if you just used an iron.
Indeed, ironing compresses the fibres of your clothes, causing irreversible damage over time and shortening the lifespan of your beloved threads.
Personally, now that I’ve started using a steamer, I definitely won’t be going back to ironing (not that I did it much, anyway). It’s not only easier than ironing and faster, but my clothes now look full of life again.
Does the Steamery Handheld Steamer Clean Your Clothes?
Another thing I wanted to mention in this Steamery review is the fact that these handheld steamers help to clean clothes – removing shallow dirt, bacteria and bad odours.
This not only means I can quickly pick my clothes up off of the floor and give them a speedy steam (mother of a toddler, speaking here), but I can also wash my clothes a lot less.
The result? I’m not only saving money on energy bills and endless piles of washing, but I’m giving my clothes the chance of a longer life – without losing their colour or shape thanks to endless cycles in the washing machine.
Can You Travel with a Handheld Steamer?
One of the main reasons I wanted to review Steamery – and buy their Cirrus 2 – was because I wanted to take this little device on the road with me.
Thankfully, Steamery have designed their Cirrus 1 and 2 to work as handheld travel steamers and as such, are incredibly small, compact and lightweight (complete with a heat resistant travel bag). You can also pack them in both carry on and hold luggage.
When it comes to whether you can use your steamer abroad, you’ll need to check the local voltage before you travel.
Steamery currently say that their steamers should work in any EU countries (and the UK) where the voltage is 220 – 240. However, and as their handheld steamers do not have dual voltage (meaning they cannot adapt to the local voltage), they should not be used anywhere where levels are different.
As such (and a little frustratingly) they currently advise that you don’t use your Steamery steamers in USA, Mexico, Japan or Canada.
Does the Steamery Steamer Work on All Textiles?
As I mentioned above, you shouldn’t use your Cirrus 2 (or any Steamery model, in fact) on leather or suede. While you can use a steamer on silk, you’ll need to be careful and gentle – and check regularly how the material is doing.
Do I Need to Descale the Steamery Cirrus 2?
While the Cirrus 2 is designed to stop limescale from building, Steamery suggest you still descale it – and you’ll absolutely need to descale the Cirrus 1.
To help prevent limescale build up in the first place, they suggest you only fill up your steamer with tap water, if you know it’s soft water. If you’re aware that you live in a troublesome hard water area, then they urge you to buy (their) softened steamer water – to make sure your steamer can function as well as possible.
To descale your Steamery steamer, you’ll just need some white vinegar (do not use standard descaler, as you may damage the machine) and water – and just let the steamer run until the water in the tank runs out.
Easy.
- Portable travel steamer with a stainless-steel mouthpiece and a heat protection bag
- Cirrus 2 makes your garments and textiles smooth and wrinkle-free in no time
- Effective on all fabrics except leather and suede, but be gentle when steaming silk
- Steaming is a gentle and energy-efficient alternative to ironing and washing
- 90 ml water tank, 1.9 m cord, 750–780 g, 1500W, UK plug, 220–240V
Conclusion: Is Steamery Worth It?
So, the big question: is a Steamery handheld steamer worth the money?
As someone who has avoided ironing their entire adult life, I never thought I’d spend £120 on a gadget to de-crumple my clothes. However, having got increasingly tired of looking nothing short of a shambles (especially when travelling), investing in this little gadget has honestly been one of my best decisions to date.
I no longer dread having to iron my clothes, but get (somewhat embarrassingly) excited to use my Steamery Cirrus 2. Lightweight, gorgeous to look at and most importantly – incredibly effective – this little handheld steamer has transformed my wardrobe.
Not only do my clothes now look neat and cared for, but I’m able to wear clothes I’d been avoiding wearing, as I couldn’t be bothered to iron them. In fact, I’d say my wardrobe is now 50% bigger, purely because I have more presentable clothes to wear.
The result? I’m also saving money as I’m not just mindlessly buying new clothes.
While £120 is a lot for a steamer, especially when you can get a cheap iron for £10, the Cirrus 2 is so much more than a glorified iron.
Not only does it take all the wrinkles out of your clothes, it breathes life back into them; making them smell great, look great and sit naturally. The steamer removes odours and stains, meaning you don’t have to wash your clothes so often and in turn, this naturally prolongs the lifespan of your garments.
My only hang up? Whilst it’s the perfect travel steamer for some countries, it’s frustrating that the Steamery brand doesn’t work worldwide (yet).
However, and this aside, I’d ultimately conclude that due to its ergonomic, stylish and easy to use functions, the Steamery Cirrus 2 really is worth the price tag.